Palaces for the People by Eric Klinenberg

The numerous case studies add up to a plea for more investment in the spaces and institutions (parks, libraries, childcare centers) that foster mutual support in civic life.” ( The New Yorker) Here, drawing on research in urban planning, behavioral economics, and environmental psychology, as well as on his own fieldwork from around the world, posits that a community’s resilience correlates strongly with the robustness of its social infrastructure. “The aim of this sweeping work is to popularize the notion of ‘social infrastructure' - the ‘physical places and organizations that shape the way people interact'. “Just brilliant!” (Roman Mars, 99% Invisible) Longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction. Richly reported and ultimately uplifting, Palaces for the People offers a blueprint for bridging our seemingly unbridgeable divides. Interweaving his own research with examples from around the globe, Klinenberg shows how “social infrastructure” is helping to solve some of our most pressing societal challenges. He believes that the future of democratic societies rests not simply on shared values but on shared spaces: the libraries, childcare centers, churches, and parks where crucial connections are formed. In Palaces for the People, Eric Klinenberg suggests a way forward. Pundits and politicians are calling for us to come together and find common purpose. Americans are sorting themselves along racial, religious, and cultural lines, leading to a level of polarization that the country hasn’t seen since the Civil War. We are living in a time of deep divisions. “Engaging.” (Mayor Pete Buttigieg, The New York Times Book Review, editors’ choice)

Named one of the best books of the year by NPR.

“A comprehensive, entertaining, and compelling argument for how rebuilding social infrastructure can help heal divisions in our society and move us forward.” (Jon Stewart)

Palaces for the People by Eric Klinenberg